Exogenous melatonin alleviates PEG-induced short-term water deficiency in maize by increasing hydraulic conductance.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Water deficiency is likely to become more frequent and intense as a result of global climate change, which may severely impact agricultural production in the world. The positive effects of melatonin (MEL) on alleviation drought or osmotic stress-induced water deficiency in plants has been well reported. However, the underlying mechanism of MEL on the detailed process of plant water uptake and transport under water deficiency condition remains largely unknown.

Results

Application of 1 μM MEL led to enhanced tolerance to water deficiency stress in maize seedlings, as evidenced by maintaining the higher photosynthetic parameters, leaf water status and plant transpiration rate. The relatively higher whole-plant hydraulic conductance (K_plant) and root hydrau

SUBMITTER: Qiao Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7227339 | biostudies-literature | 2020 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature